Hamburg police warn Erdoğan’s guards not to attack protesters

Amid a crisis between Turkey and the US over President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s security detail attacking protesters in Washington, D.C., last month, Hamburg police have warned the guards not to attack protesters during a G-20 summit in Hamburg on July 7-8, which will also be attended by Erdoğan, Deutsche Welle reported on Wednesday.

On May 16, members of President Erdoğan’s security detail engaged in a violent brawl with a group of protesters outside the residence of the Turkish ambassador in Washington while Erdoğan was paying an official visit to the country. At least 11 protesters were injured.

“The scene of guards of the Turkish president attacking protesters in Washington will not occur in Hamburg, where the police will be in charge,” Ulf Wundrack, spokesperson for the Hamburg police, told Deutsche Welle.

Wundrack repeated a statement by Hamburg Police Chief Ralf Martin Meyer that security guards of foreign delegations do not have the same authority as police.

A total of 20,000 police officers are expected to maintain security in the city with the support of Dutch and Austrian police during the G-20 summit.

Twenty-five demonstrations are expected to take place in the city protesting the G-20 leaders.

On Saturday, the D.C. Metropolitan Police Department released a video of eight more “persons of interest” believed to be in Erdoğan’s security detail who were involved in the attack on protesters in front of the Turkish ambassador’s residence in Washington last month.

Last Thursday, the Washington, D.C., police department issued a wanted list for 12 of President Erdoğan’s bodyguards as criminal suspects for their attacks on protesters on May 16.

Erdoğan slammed the US decision to issue arrest warrants for his bodyguards and said he would initiate a political and legal battle against the arrest warrants for his security personnel.

Last Friday, US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said there will be no tolerance for those using intimidation and violence to suppress freedom of expression over an arrest decision issued for the bodyguards of Erdoğan.

The demonstrators had gathered to protest the policies of Erdoğan, who was in the capital for a meeting with US President Donald Trump. When Erdoğan later arrived at the ambassadorial residence, his security detail, along with supporters of the Turkish president, was captured in video footage brutally attacking the group of demonstrators.

Erdoğan was also seen in the footage watching his bodyguards assault the protesters.